The Way DAY 14 - Ditch "What About Me"
Day 14 - Ditch “What About Me”
Galatians 5:13-14
The Way of Jesus says you won’t be free until you ditch “What about me?” Jesus frees us FROM sin and frees us TO love. Freedom from sin opens the door to real and lasting change.
This spiritual freedom is actually what made Christianity SOCIALLY radical. Jesus wasn’t announcing economic reform or demanding to empty every prison. He cared deeply about the poor but the fact is, political revolution wasn’t radical enough because it didn’t confront evil at the source.
You see people finding this freedom in the early church. Women were empowered beyond the sexist limits of 1st c. culture. Many had positions of leadership in the church. Jews and non-Jews worshiped together as one family because racial barriers were torn down. Slaves and masters were equals in the body of Christ.
When people realized you won’t be free until you ditch “What about me?” it led to evangelism, missions, and justice. All three focus energy on people outside ourselves.
People on the Way of Jesus shared the good news with humble confidence - evangelism. Christians organized to introduce Jesus to entire people groups - missions. Christians blazed new paths to care for people and right social wrongs - justice. Christians fed the poor. Christians rescued abandoned infants and raised orphans. Christians created healthcare centers called hospitals. Christians took care of seniors who had no one else to help.
They changed the direction of world history, all the way to the present. Personal liberty with social responsibility shaped Martin Luther King, Jr.’s approach to civil rights. He said, “No one is free until we are all free,” borrowed from the Jewish poet, Emma Lazarus.
It begs the question: what’s our heart for evangelism? For missions? For justice?
REFLECT
Originally, the Year of Jubilee was about social and economic freedom. It became a picture of total freedom: spiritual and social. What’s the connection between spiritual freedom and social freedom?
PRAY
Lord, stretch my heart for evangelism, missions, and justice. Open my eyes to see the needs around me. Amen.
Galatians 5:13-14
The Way of Jesus says you won’t be free until you ditch “What about me?” Jesus frees us FROM sin and frees us TO love. Freedom from sin opens the door to real and lasting change.
This spiritual freedom is actually what made Christianity SOCIALLY radical. Jesus wasn’t announcing economic reform or demanding to empty every prison. He cared deeply about the poor but the fact is, political revolution wasn’t radical enough because it didn’t confront evil at the source.
You see people finding this freedom in the early church. Women were empowered beyond the sexist limits of 1st c. culture. Many had positions of leadership in the church. Jews and non-Jews worshiped together as one family because racial barriers were torn down. Slaves and masters were equals in the body of Christ.
When people realized you won’t be free until you ditch “What about me?” it led to evangelism, missions, and justice. All three focus energy on people outside ourselves.
People on the Way of Jesus shared the good news with humble confidence - evangelism. Christians organized to introduce Jesus to entire people groups - missions. Christians blazed new paths to care for people and right social wrongs - justice. Christians fed the poor. Christians rescued abandoned infants and raised orphans. Christians created healthcare centers called hospitals. Christians took care of seniors who had no one else to help.
They changed the direction of world history, all the way to the present. Personal liberty with social responsibility shaped Martin Luther King, Jr.’s approach to civil rights. He said, “No one is free until we are all free,” borrowed from the Jewish poet, Emma Lazarus.
It begs the question: what’s our heart for evangelism? For missions? For justice?
REFLECT
Originally, the Year of Jubilee was about social and economic freedom. It became a picture of total freedom: spiritual and social. What’s the connection between spiritual freedom and social freedom?
PRAY
Lord, stretch my heart for evangelism, missions, and justice. Open my eyes to see the needs around me. Amen.
Recent
Archive
2024
January
February
The Way DAY 9 - Full of the Holy SpiritThe Way DAY 10 - Defeating Your DefeatersThe Way DAY 11 - The Year of JubileeThe Way DAY 12 - FreedomThe Way DAY 13 - Freedom to LoveThe Way DAY 14 - Ditch "What About Me"The Way DAY 15 - The Way of LoveThe Way DAY 16 - The TeacherThe Way DAY 17 - What is the Kingdom of God?The Way DAY 18 - Trust and ObeyThe Way DAY 19 - Follow MeThe Way DAY 20 - Differences and DisagreementsThe Way DAY 21 - Jesus and Mr. RogersThe Way DAY 22 - Respond Like JesusThe Way DAY 23 - Bend Toward MercyThe Way DAY 24 - Burden or Bless?The Way DAY 25 - BONUS: The TwelveThe Way DAY 26 - Happy?The Way DAY 27 - Excessive GenerosityThe Way DAY 28 - What is Love?The Way DAY 29 - Give What God Gives
March
The Way DAY 30 - Follow the LeaderThe Way DAY 31 - Dinner with a PhariseeThe Way DAY 32 - Don't Be the HeroThe Way DAY 33 - God's GraceThe Way DAY 34 - The Grace You ShowThe Way DAY 35 - Our Sin and Our SaviorThe Way DAY 36 - Jesus and ParablesThe Way DAY 37 - The Farmer and the SeedsThe Way DAY 38 - The Seed and The SoilThe Way DAY 39 - The Good HeartThe Way DAY 40 - Who is Jesus, Pt 1The Way DAY 41 - Who is Jesus, Pt 2The Way DAY 42 - They Saw His GloryThe Way DAY 43 - Your Next StepThe Way DAY 44 - His DevotionThe Way DAY 45 - The Leadership of JesusThe Way DAY 46 - Pick Up Your CrossThe Way DAY 47 - Daily DenialThe Way DAY 48 - Forgive Like JesusThe Way DAY 49 - Trusting God
April
Because of Easter DAY 1Because of Easter DAY 2Because of Easter DAY 3Because of Easter DAY 4Because of Easter DAY 5Because of Easter DAY 6Because of Easter DAY 7Because of Easter DAY 8Because of Easter DAY 9New Devo Starts SoonPsalms DAY 1Psalms DAY 2Psalms DAY 3Psalms DAY 4Psalms DAY 5Psalms DAY 6Psalms DAY 7Psalms DAY 8Psalms DAY 9Psalms DAY 10Psalms DAY 11Psalms DAY 12
May
June
On the Road Again - DAY 1On the Road Again - DAY 2On the Road Again - DAY 3On the Road Again - DAY 4On the Road Again - DAY 5On the Road Again - DAY 6On the Road Again - DAY 7On the Road Again - DAY 8On the Road Again - DAY 9On the Road Again - DAY 10On the Road Again - DAY 11On the Road Again - DAY 12On the Road Again - DAY 13On the Road Again - DAY 14On the Road Again - DAY 15